Great Barrier Reef Attractions
Description
Venue: Great Barrier Reef When: Daily
To experience the timeless beauty of the undersea world, you can't get much better than Australia's Great Barrier Reef - the largest coral reef system in the world, which offers incredible opportunites for diving and snorkelling.
Administered by a Marine Park Authority and deemed a World Heritage Site, Queensland's best-known natural wonder is also the world's largest protected marine area. The reef itself is around 2300km (1380 miles) long and covers some 348,700 square kilometres from just north of Bundaberg to the tip of the Cape York Peninsula. It is thought to be made up of around 2900 individual reefs, including 760 fringing reefs and 300 coral cays. There are also 618 continental islands, which were once part of the mainland.
Unsurprisingly, this enormous ecosystem sustains a huge amount of life. The area is home to approximately 1500 species of fish, 400 species of coral, 4000 species of mollusc, 500 species of seaweed, 215 species of bird, 16 species of sea snake and six species of sea turtle. It has one of the world's largest dugong populations and whales also visit at certain times of the year.
There are many places to explore the reef and a number of tour operators who will take you there. Popular trips include the Cod Hole, where you can feed six-foot moray eels, Pixi Pinnacle and the Yongala Wreck, where you can find dense coral growth along with stingrays, sea snakes, turtles and cat sharks. There are also several unspoilt atolls to explore, including Marion, Diamond, Lihou and Abington. Further afield you may find giant tuna, manta rays, nurse sharks and much more.
Do make sure to respect the fragile ecosystem on any trips you take and try to go with a reputable and responsible operator. The websites listed here should help you with your research.
To experience the timeless beauty of the undersea world, you can't get much better than Australia's Great Barrier Reef - the largest coral reef system in the world, which offers incredible opportunites for diving and snorkelling.
Administered by a Marine Park Authority and deemed a World Heritage Site, Queensland's best-known natural wonder is also the world's largest protected marine area. The reef itself is around 2300km (1380 miles) long and covers some 348,700 square kilometres from just north of Bundaberg to the tip of the Cape York Peninsula. It is thought to be made up of around 2900 individual reefs, including 760 fringing reefs and 300 coral cays. There are also 618 continental islands, which were once part of the mainland.
Unsurprisingly, this enormous ecosystem sustains a huge amount of life. The area is home to approximately 1500 species of fish, 400 species of coral, 4000 species of mollusc, 500 species of seaweed, 215 species of bird, 16 species of sea snake and six species of sea turtle. It has one of the world's largest dugong populations and whales also visit at certain times of the year.
There are many places to explore the reef and a number of tour operators who will take you there. Popular trips include the Cod Hole, where you can feed six-foot moray eels, Pixi Pinnacle and the Yongala Wreck, where you can find dense coral growth along with stingrays, sea snakes, turtles and cat sharks. There are also several unspoilt atolls to explore, including Marion, Diamond, Lihou and Abington. Further afield you may find giant tuna, manta rays, nurse sharks and much more.
Do make sure to respect the fragile ecosystem on any trips you take and try to go with a reputable and responsible operator. The websites listed here should help you with your research.
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